GOP Must Focus On The Family

National Review Online: Divorces Shouldn't Stop Republican Hopefuls From Speaking Up

(National Review Online)  This column was written by Kay Hymowitz & W. Bradford Wilcox.

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Here we are at debate No. 3, but has anyone heard a Republican besides Mitt Romney utter their one-time favorite word "family?" In fact, most of the top Republican presidential nominees are studiously avoiding the biggest social problem of our time, namely, family breakdown. There's a good reason for this, of course; aside from Romney, the leading candidates, whether committed to running or only flirting, are divorced, and at least one of them has a marital history that verges on the baroque. It's understandable that a presidential contender would want to avoid reminding voters about a messy personal history.

Understandable, but in the end, misguided. There is simply no way to advance the principles that have made for past Republican successes without supporting strong families. Let us count the reasons:

Reason No. 1: Limited Government. Personal liberty and limited government have always been Republican first principles. Despite the current administration's dubious service to these principles, they remain important to most Republicans. The problem for the Republican divorced candidates is that the foundation of limited government lies in strong, self-governing families. You only have to consider the last half century of social-welfare trends: just as divorce and nonmarital childbearing expanded, so too did the government programs and tax dollars needed to support them.

Welfare, still a budget drag even 11 years after welfare reform, is only the most obvious example. Isabel Sawhill at the Brookings Institution estimates that between 1970 and 1996, the growth of single-parent families increased federal welfare and food stamps expenditures by $229 billion. Today, the federal government spends more than $200 billion annually on Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and Medicaid spending, and much of this spending is driven by family breakdown. Moreover, marital failure necessarily invites the government to meddle in personal relationships. This year, for instance, federal and state governments will spend more than $5 billion in efforts to identify, hunt down, and collect money from millions of nonresidential fathers across the nation and 17 million families.

Reason No. 2: Law and Order. Daniel Patrick Moynihan was an outlier when he observed over 40 years ago that crime is a marriage and fatherhood issue. Today, the idea that marriage plays a key role in turning boys into law-abiding young men has become the new social scientific consensus. One recent Princeton study found that boys who grew up with their married fathers were half as likely to spend time in jail as boys who grew up in fatherless homes. Another study by Harvard sociologist Robert Sampson agreed that family breakdown was one of the strongest predictors of "urban violence across cities in the United States." With crime rates rising again in many cities, the subject of family breakdown seems like a no-brainer.

Reason No. 3: The American Dream. Republicans have long seen themselves as guardians of the American dream, working to insure that individuals and businesses can prosper in a free society. It's clear by now that prosperity depends on strong families. At the simplest level, married couples earn more money than singles. A large body of research shows married men earning between 10 and 40 percent more than men with similar levels of education and job experience, largely because they work longer, smarter, and more responsibly than their unmarried peers. Marriage is also an important source of wealth generation. On the eve of retirement, the typical married couple has accumulated about $410,000, compared to approximately $167,000 for the never-married, and about $154,000 for the divorced.

Marriage does all this by fostering a common orientation towards the future and a sense of duty among adults, qualities that are also tremendously advantageous to their children. It's no coincidence that children of married couples, including low-income couples, are more likely to graduate high school, to go to college, and to go on to earn higher incomes than kids of single parents. To put it a little differently, marriage provides the breeding ground for children's future upward mobility.

Finally, Reason No. 4: The Vote. If Republican candidates don't find principle enough of a reason to put marriage policy at the top of their agenda, they might want to consider self-interest. Married Americans vote — and vote Republican — at significantly higher rates than do unmarrieds. In the last presidential race, for instance, hitched Americans were more than 50 percent more likely to vote than their singleton fellow citizens, and when they did, they voted for George Bush by a 15-point margin (57 to 42 percent). This is probably because the married have tended to view the party — at least they used to before Republicans became tongue-tied on all things family — as more supportive of a family-centered way of life.

In other words, Republicans have every reason — self-interest, party loyalty, and the American future — to transcend the idea that your personal history has to limit your political beliefs, and to talk about policies that would strengthen and expand the ranks of the married.

Yes, accusations of hypocrisy may fill the airwaves. But chances are Americans, almost all of whom have been touched by the family unraveling of the past 40 years, would be in a forgiving mood. At any rate, they know that while hypocrisy is bad, moral cowardice is worse.

[jacksteen1]

The Republishit Party has been bereft of morals and true Christian values since Eisenhower's golfing presidency. That airhead set the tone for the rest of the bufoons of the "party of Lincoln."

Ronnie Ragoon, drooler Emperor, aligned his party with the 'christian' reich, Falwell (happily enough, dead and in Hell today), Robertson, and the rest of the charlatans. The gun nutjob lobby also got stroked and coddled by Ronnie...in between bowls of pudding and imaginings that he was really a war hero instead of a two-bit, second-rate actor that merely portrayed heroes.

Ragoon emptied the loonie bins across the nation...those people that did not die the first Winter are still out there, living in shelters and preying upon each other. This is the Republiscum Party's dream - having poor people kill and eat each other.

Anyone who purports to be Christian simply cannot be a member or supporter of the Republishit Party. Pure and simple. They are the embodiment of evil and will surely rot in Hell - along with the pantheon of Republicrap presidents that have disgraced our Nation...and the 'evangelists' that assisted them in The Great Lie.

[guysdigdirt]

A bunch of hypocrits who don't mind stealing money from the poor with all their tax breaks.

Posted by clestes
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I wonder every time I hear this kind of complaint who it is that is writing it.

When I was in college I studied hard, went to class and did well in my grades. My roomate partied, missed class and barely pulled D's. If you equate your "stealilng from the poor with tax breaks for the rich" mentality to my college situation, you would have had me give a portion of my grades to my partying roomate. I agree that the rich should not be able to hire the expensive tax attys to "create" ways for them to pay less tax (think John Kerry). But do not expect those who work hard to pay the tax for those who do not. A flat tax would be good, would make taxes easier for everyone and cut the IRS power over everyone.

[guysdigdirt]

Members of the GOP should focus on their OWN family.
Posted by sparks224
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I agree with this but then everyone should, both left and right.

[guysdigdirt]

You all sicken me. You see that the GOP actually has morals and you fear that and loath that you have none so you attack inane issues that you, on the right, are not better at. You claim it terrible to want to save a family. You claim the GOP are miscreants all the while you hold the ****** Clinton as your symbol. Look at yourselves, you are sick.

[guysdigdirt]

Romney: "I never cheated--but due to my religion if I did--it wouldn't count anyway"

Yep....family values coming from any of those candidates, would be just as hypocritical as Bush pretending to know and promote democracy. Nobody's buying those lies anymore and if the family value group tries to endorse any of them--they will be seen as frauds and hypocrites too.
Posted by toldyouso21
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There you go again, assuming that you have any clue about Romney or his religion? Why bring religion into it anyway?

It is obvious you lack moral integrity and will stoop to name calling and slander to attemp to bring others down to the gutter with you.

You are ashamed of yourself and it shows.

[guysdigdirt]

ACTUALLY, MORAL COWARDICE IS HYPOCRISY. YOU MUST BE A MORAL COWARD TO PRETEND TO BE DECENT WHILE ACTUALLY LIVING SOMETHING ELSE. THAT IS THE DEFINITION OF A HYPOCRITE----A MORAL COWARD.

Sometimes the ignorance of the right is breathtakingly scary.
Posted by toldyouso21
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How does your definition there apply to your beloved Bill Clinton and his wife for staying with him solely for political power reasons?

You think it is just the right that is off kilter, the left and you are no different. You are a hypocrite for not having the moral fortitude to admit it is all people who act that way.

[tejasdemo]

Still laughin at this article. Republicans and family values are so mutually exclusive it really isnt funny but....

This article sure as hell is !

[elz523]

It is presumptuous and hypocritical for these losers at the NRO to ignore the Democratic candidates in the race who have been dedicated to their families for decades. Let's see, Edwards, Clinton and Obama are just the first three to come to mind. Instead they focus on the hypocritical cons and say "it is alright if you personally have not been faithful to your family so long as you are willing to impose our values on everyone else. Just say family values, family values, family values and let us and the other propaganda arms of the Republican Party convince the faithful that is it what you do, but what you say that is important."

[glb1969]

Wow, lies that are unproven scientifically. The writers sure do like to put forth guesses and suppositions like facts. Fortunately, we can see through their ignorance and lies.

[toldyouso21]

"Yes, accusations of hypocrisy may fill the airwaves. But chances are Americans, almost all of whom have been touched by the family unraveling of the past 40 years, would be in a forgiving mood. At any rate, they know that while hypocrisy is bad, moral cowardice is worse. "

ACTUALLY, MORAL COWARDICE IS HYPOCRISY. YOU MUST BE A MORAL COWARD TO PRETEND TO BE DECENT WHILE ACTUALLY LIVING SOMETHING ELSE. THAT IS THE DEFINITION OF A HYPOCRITE----A MORAL COWARD.

Sometimes the ignorance of the right is breathtakingly scary.

[toldyouso21]

"Welfare, still a budget drag even 11 years after welfare reform, is only the most obvious example. Isabel Sawhill at the Brookings Institution estimates that between 1970 and 1996, the growth of single-parent families increased federal welfare and food stamps expenditures by $229 billion."

Does he mean the social program welfare? Because if he does he is lying. There are less than 3 MILLION Americans on the welfare rolls at this time. If the budget for these 3 million is similar to what is was when over 35 MILLION was getting handouts--we need to follow the money and see who is getting paid. Most people do not realize that the majority of welfare recipients do not get cash but get foodstamps. and that the total amount of their welfare is less than a full time job working minimum wage. Less than 3 Million is less than 1% of the population in our country. This is a *** article. If the ideas and platform of Reagan will forever define the GOP, the least they can do is keep up with the latest information on their issues.

it does no good to raise the spectre of a bogey man or tell lies that do not fit anymore--sooner or later the public will actually THINK--and then they will realize the politicians played them for fools.

[toldyouso21]

What are the candidates supposed to say?

"We fvcked over our families and lives..

Guiliani: "I not only fvcked another woman while married, but paraded her on tv while I was still married and then humiliated my former wife by making her live in the same house with my mistress and kids. My kids don't like her...can't imagine why....."

Gingrich: I not only had an affair, I served my wife the divorce papers while she was in the hospital recovering from cancer AND managed to get another adulterer impeached for doing almost the same thing I did--(only he just got a bj and I planted my puddin' straight up the old *******) plus I did not lie about my affair under oath--lol. can't say I don't have balls"

McCain: I don't think I want to talk about the fact that my wife was my mistress and that I basically threw away the woman who stuck by me and raised my kids while I was a POW--it might make me look wishy washy"


Romney: "I never cheated--but due to my religion if I did--it wouldn't count anyway"

Yep....family values coming from any of those candidates, would be just as hypocritical as Bush pretending to know and promote democracy. Nobody's buying those lies anymore and if the family value group tries to endorse any of them--they will be seen as frauds and hypocrites too.

[roger_inkart]

Sorry, you deluded losers at the NRO. The majority of Americans seem to have figured out that the GOP is nothing more than a haven for the fear-mongering, greedy, hypocritical, anti-anything-that-isn't-rich-white-straight-Christian, 9/11 loving lunatics.

The debates are little more than "Who Wants To Be Next Year's Bob Dole"?

[afmca]

Once again conservatives and NRO miss what is actually pro-family. They focus on pro-family propaganda. A REAL pro-family agenda would include a living wage, universal health care, a clean environment, a crime free neighborhood, educational opportunities, and paid vacation time to actually enjoy time WITH the family. Republicans and their conservative co-horts cannot focus on these needs because it is not reconcialiable with their mantra of making the rich, richer!

[heresmy2cent]

The GOP already focuses on the family...

The Bush family, the Cheney family, the Bill Gates family, the Walton family, etc.

If they choose Rudy Giuliani as their next candidate, maybe you can add the Corleone family to the list.

[lastdance2]

Send more high paying jobs, out of the country

Work two (2) jobs, to make up for the : Wage Loss

Who's raising the children ? ? ?

Where's - The Family Unit Gone ? ? ?

Excellent History and Example
of the Republician Attitude - Towards Building

"Family Values"

Lastdance

[mcvet]

This pathetic Nazi Rag will keep beating the drums for the Religious Reich and the divisions that have been served upon this nation until there is no nation. The Hate and Division of the last several decades, Hate and Division served up as "Family Values" has to stop or the nation is doomed. We can not elect another Southern Fascist or for that matter any of the present canidates from the GOP side. They can not bring together this nation nor can they bring back our position of Leader of the Free World.

[roger3815]

The GOP's gift for self-delusion never ceases to amaze me. The "crime is a marriage and fatherhood issue" has to be the most out of touch paragraph I've read in years. Instead of focusing on the family, the writers and their GOP media *** candidates might want to try focusing on reality.

[kansas1946]

"Married Americans vote %u2014 and vote Republican %u2014 at significantly higher rates than do unmarrieds."
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I'm married and have been for forty years, and there is not one of these bird-brain Republican candidates that I would vote for. Republicans could care less about families. All they care about is bashing ***. They are dispicible.

[zorlacskates]

it's unanimous. this garbage is absolutely hilarious. is this a rejected skit from saturday night live or what? they're got to be kidding with this piece. cbs is really scrapping the bottom of the opinion barrel here.

what forgiving hearts those republicans have, unless you're liberal, in which case your every indiscretion and mistake condemns you to hell.